The United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) is responsible for governing betting activity in the UK. The commission also issues licenses and upholds strict gambling standards that all licensed operators must adhere to. For instance, all online casinos, sportsbooks and other gambling sites in the UK must participate in the GamStop national self-exclusion scheme or risk losing their license. However, GamStop participation is one of many elements that define UKGC compliant betting sites. In this review, we examine the top design elements you need to add to your website to comply with the UK Gambling Commission requirements.
- T&Cs for Bonus Offers
Bonuses are the highlight of many online gambling websites and are virtually present in all UKGC casinos. Players often review the bonus section before signing up for an account to determine if the website has generous propositions. The UK Gambling Commission doesn’t oblige operators to provide bonuses of any kind, so you can run a compliant website without featuring promotions. However, your site won’t stand the competition from other platforms that feature regular and lucrative deals for new and existing members. As such, you’ll end up providing bonuses as a marketing strategy, and that’s where UKGC compliance comes to play. The commission requires all licensed websites with bonuses to feature relevant terms and conditions (T&Cs) for each promotion. The terms should feature who’s eligible, minimum requirements, how to claim, wagering and betting requirements, maximum conversion, etc. Make sure you feature the T&Cs for all your promotions.
- GamStop Logo in the Footer
GamStop participation is mandatory for all online casinos licensed in the UK. It is a national self-exclusion program and license requirement, meaning you cannot retain your UKGC license without participating in GamStop. Online casino operators are required to conduct thorough ID verification, also known as know-your-customer (KYC) processes, during account signup and login. Operators must also sync their registries with the GamStop self-exclusion database. If a player is registered on GamStop, the site will automatically block access until the self-exclusion term expires. The UKGC expect casino operators to participate in the scheme and requires the websites to include the GamStop logo in the footer section which you won’t find at any non GamStop bookmakers. This informs site visitors that the casino participates in GamStop and blocks all players who have voluntarily registered to be self-excluded from UK casinos and sportsbooks. If you have a UKGC license, you should also include the GamStop logo on your site.
- No Aggressive “Play Now” Elements
Casinos are designed to generate profit and spend a lot on marketing the platform and getting players to wager real money. Some sites use aggressive click-baits, and call-to-action triggers to insight visitors to bet, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, if you want a UKGC license, aggressive ‘Play Now’ elements won’t do you any good. The commission will review your website before issuing a license and may deny you the permit to serve UK punters if the platform aggressively encourages players to start betting real money. As such, you should carefully integrate the CTAs without coming off as aggressive. For instance, you can integrate the elements with bonuses or use other third-party platforms, such as review sites, to encourage players to bet on your website. However, the actual site should have fewer such prompts.
- 18+ Notification
Gambling is a popular pastime, but one that’s only meant for adults, especially if it involves real money. Virtually all casinos require players to be at least 18 years and above. Unfortunately, there are quite a few ways to enforce this requirement and far too many loopholes that allow minors to gamble. UKGC casinos are prohibited from offering gambling products to minors, and operators that don’t comply with this requirement risk losing their license. As such, you should conduct strong KYC ID verifications to prevent anyone below 18 years from accessing real money games on the site. The commission also expects all websites to feature the 18+ notification somewhere visible on the website. You can have it in the footer section of the casino, during signup, or anywhere else site visitors can see before they begin betting.
- No Demo Games
Demo games offer players the chance to explore casino products without risking a deposit. They are perfect when you need more practice to get the hang of a game’s features and how it works. Most casinos with RNG-based games feature demo versions, which players can enjoy as long as they desire. Demos also don’t have a payout, so they are strictly for practice. Over the last couple of years, the UK Gambling Commission has been restricting underage free play and discourages demo games as they are the gateway to real-money betting. If you want to qualify for the UKGC license, you should remove demo games from your website to prevent minors from exploring gambling products.
Conclusion
There are various other compliance requirements enforced upon UKGC-licensed gambling sites. It is vital to review all aspects to avoid penalties and fines from the commission. Forfeiting any of the compliance standards can result in license cancelling, which will prevent you from providing products to the UK market. Players may also skip through your website if it lacks standard features found in reputable casinos, so compliance is vital for success in the UK market.